The present invention relates generally to a combination glass and bottle package. More specifically, the present invention relates to a wine glass configured for select slide-fit engagement with a bottle containing wine or another select beverage, the combination forming a compact and convenient single transportable package wherein the glass may be detached from the bottle, and the select beverage poured into the glass for consumption and enjoyment.
A commercial unit or package that includes a drinking vessel such as a glass in combination with a beverage-containing bottle is, in general, known in the art. For example, WIPO Publication No. WO8905269 to Hickinbotham discloses a wine glass or cup positioned in an inverted orientation atop a wine bottle or the like, with the glass or cup including an internal cap portion or segment adapted to sealingly fit with and close the bottle. To open the bottle, the inverted glass or cup is rotatably removed from the bottle, whereupon the bottle contents can be poured directly into the glass or cup for consumer enjoyment. The glass or cup and the bottle are preferably formed from a molded plastic material selected for oxygen imperviousness, thereby safeguarding the bottle contents against oxygen ingress and resultant degradation.
The combination package disclosed by Hickinbotham exhibits a number of commercial drawbacks or disadvantages, whereby the combination package has not achieved broad market acceptance or use. For example, the combination package disclosed in Hickinbotham relies upon direct sealing engagement between the glass or cup and the beverage-containing bottle. The glass or cup has a wine glass shape having a receptacle supported at the upper end of an elongated stem which projects upwardly from a relatively broad base, with the sealing cap segment formed in the bottom of the receptacle. As a result, the elongated stem and base of the glass or cup extend, when inverted, above the bottle to provide a combination package that is relatively tall. This tall package, while constructed from plastic and thus relatively lightweight, is not conducive to convenient shipping, handling, or storage, without significant risk of bumping the glass or cup sufficiently to break the bottle seal, and thereby allow the bottle contents to spoil.
Additional disadvantages include the non-tapering or non-flumed geometry of the wine glass such that Hickinbotham fails to achieve a relatively minimal package width, especially along the neck of the bottle. Moreover, the straight or common diameter width of the wine glass is also prone to more spillage than a wine glass with a tapered or flumed geometry. Furthermore, the wine glass has a volumetric capacity that is significantly less than the volumetric capacity of the bottle, whereby all wine in the bottle cannot be poured in the glass in a single pour. Instead, the consumer must retain the now-open bottle of wine with residual wine therein, and wait until at least part of the wine is consumed from the glass before the residual wine can be poured into the glass.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,230 to Mumford discloses a cup-shaped cap that attaches to the top of a relatively larger bottle. The cap includes a plurality of inwardly projecting ribs on the inside of the cap walls, which generally diverge from the base to an upper rim. The inwardly projecting ribs are particular important as they facilitate stacking of multiple caps within one another, to prevent one cap from becoming wedged to another cap. The drawback here is that the caps cannot be made from an extrusion or blow molding process wherein the cap walls have a generally uniform thickness, or an upwardly tapering flume that may be desired for enhanced olfactory enjoyment of beverages like red or white wine. Moreover, Mumford is also undesired for single-serve applications since the cap is too small to selectively receive the entire volumetric capacity of the bottle contents. Additionally, the Mumford cap requires a plurality of protruding lugs extending out from the upper lip or rim to facilitate snap-fit attachment of the cap with the bottle. Such lugs are particular intrusive when drinking wine or other related beverages since the upper lip or rim is not smooth.
In another reference, U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,247 to Earls discloses a cup-shaped closure cap that includes an upwardly projecting attachment mechanism disposed in the interior of the cap and is configured to engage the bottle cap or pour spout. Like Mumford, the Earls cap cannot be made from an extrusion or blow molding process wherein the cap walls have a generally uniform thickness, including a flat central component, or an upwardly tapering flume that may be desired for enhanced olfactory enjoyment of beverages like red or white wine. Instead, the Earls cup is upwardly diverging and includes an interiorly disposed cylindrical cup collar therein. This cylindrical cup collar is needed to engage the cap with the bottle via threaded or snap-fit connectors. Also, since the collar protrudes into the interior volume of the cap, it inhibits any potential for freely swirling wine or another beverage therein. Again, the volumetric capacity of the Earls bottle is relatively larger than that of the disclosed cap, which inhibits single-serve applications.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,073 to Willis discloses the combination of a bottle and overcap that present a unitary uninterrupted cylindrical appearance when combined. Willis fails to disclose a glass or overcap having an upwardly tapered flume, and doing so would be contrary to the purpose of providing a combination that resembles a unitary cylinder. The bottle also has a greater volumetric capacity than the cap, thus inhibiting use in single-serve applications. Willis also undesirably attaches the cap to the larger bottle via an internally disposed circumferential protrusion, which inhibits the cap from having a generally uniform thickness and otherwise creates a protruding ridge that interrupts fluid consumption from the cap.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,410 to Selz discloses a drinking cup that, like Earls, attaches to the top of a bottle in place of a sealing cap, and includes an internally disposed attachment mechanism within the cap. In this respect, the Selz cap cannot include a cup body made from an extrusion or blow molding process to form a generally uniform thickness wall or narrowing tapered flume. Instead, the cup upwardly diverges and even includes an outwardly presented rim or lip that extends away from the bottle outer wall. Another drawback of Selz is that the bottom in the cup includes the annular collared closure. Every time the bottle is sealed, a consumer must either use the entire cup as a cap, or remove the transparent bottom portion containing the sealing mechanism, eliminating reuse of the cup for future beverage consumption. The collared closure also interferes with spinning beverage (e.g., wine) therein, by way of its connection mechanism being disposed internally, as opposed to the bottle outer wall, which limits the potential enjoyment of beverages like wine.
There exists, therefore, a significant need in the art for an improved glass and bottle combination wherein a glass or cup, such as a wine glass, is combined with a beverage-containing bottle, such as a wine bottle, in a compact and stable configuration for safeguarding the bottle contents against inadvertent opening and spoilage, while further providing for convenient portability, and full enjoyment of the entire contents of the beverage bottle using the attached glass or cup. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.